“Someone With Skin On”
At the feet of my friend and mentor, Kathy, I
learned the practice of looking to the person of Christ in fleshing out emotions
and experiences. Kathy taught me to ask “When did Jesus feel this way?” when
facing something uncomfortable and to find comfort in the knowledge that He
had. For example, “Did Jesus ever feel sad?” He did. See John chapter 11; He
cried when his friend died. “Was Jesus ever betrayed by someone He loved?”
Yes, and the betrayer’s name was Judas (see Matthew 26).
In this season
of Advent, as we prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth, I am grateful. Grateful for
His life and the comfort I find in knowing Jesus experienced many of things I
experience. I invite you to read the following story from MaxSmithOnline.com.
I love this story because it reminds me that Jesus’ life’s purpose was more than
to be our savior, redeemer and ransom. He is our example, our
comfort.
A little girl had been tucked in bed one night after the
family prayers. It was a stormy night, the lightning flashed across the sky
and thunder shook the house. The youngster endured this as long as possible.
Then, she scurried to the living room and threw herself into her mother’s arms
exclaiming, “I am afraid.” The mother quieted the child as she put her back to
bed saying, “Remember, honey, God loves you and He will keep you
safe.”
But, no sooner had the mother returned to the front room and
seated herself comfortably, than the child appeared in the doorway crying,
“Mommy, I’m still afraid.” Mother put the child back to bed telling her,
“Honey, you must stay in bed, you are perfectly safe, I told you that God loves
you and He will take care of you.” The little girl replied, “I know God loves
me mommy, but, when it is thundering and lightning, I want someone with skin on
to love me.”
God knows that we, like the little girl in the story,
need someone with skin on to love us. Someone to walk like us, talk like us,
love like us, hurt like us… to be like us. Jesus came to us. Became flesh. Put
on skin. Walked. Talked. Breathed. Healed. Taught. Lived. Died. And
loved. Let us also love. Glad tidings to you of comfort, and of joy.
Amen.
Marcia Canterbury
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